End John Simon (38 tackles, 10 for loss) and tackle Johnathan Hankins (50 tackles, four for loss) anchor the line. Ryan Shazier (98 tackles, 11 1/2 for loss) is a fabulous sophomore.

"Ohio State has always got really good players," UW coach Bret Bielema said. "They probably traditionally, since I've been here, have always had the best players in the league, the top 0 to 85 roster spots.

"They're always going to have highly recruited kids that they come in with a lot of accolades and a lot of natural talent."

Simon and Hankins were starters last season when the Buckeyes limited Montee Ball to 85 yards on 17 attempts en route to a 33-29 victory. Overall, UW rushed 29 times for 89 yards that night.

After that game, some of the UW linemen noted Ohio State's front four was more physical and tenacious on the field than it had been in any of the games the Badgers had studied on video.

Left tackle Rick Wagner and center Travis Frederick started in the 2011 game for UW, though Wagner was at left guard. Ryan Groy, UW's current left guard, was a reserve that night.

"I think they're not satisfied with the way they played," Miller said. "They didn't play up to the level that they thought was their potential.

"So that is going to leave a bitter taste in their mouth. . . . They are going to come ready to play. They'll be focused and intent on continuing their physical streak.

"This is this year's team, not last year's team. I think these guys feel they have something to prove every week and this is another chance for us to play well against a really good defense."

Although Ohio State is ineligible for postseason play because of NCAA sanctions, the game features two intriguing storylines.

First, UW still has a chance to claim a share of the Leaders Division by winning its final two games and seeing Ohio State fall against Michigan in its finale.

Second, Ball needs two touchdowns to break the NCAA all-time record of 78, set by Travis Prentice of Miami (Ohio).

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer doesn't want to share the title and the members of Ohio State's defense probably don't want to be remembered as the unit that allowed the record to fall.

"I was thinking about that actually earlier today," Ball said Monday. "I know for a fact that Urban is a very competitive guy. I know for a fact that's what he's telling them. And that's going to create a great game, I think, for our fans.

"Yeah, if I was him, I wouldn't want for anybody to break a record on me."

For Ball to tie or break the mark UW's offensive line will have to perform better against the Buckeyes than it did in the loss to Michigan State.

"We're going to have a heck of a challenge," Miller said. "It is going to be a physical game, and we're going to have a good plan.

"We want to be the most dominant unit, the most physical and we want to get those guys the most rushing yards we can.

"That is a statistic we can take a lot of pride in and we have some ability to control. That is what we want to do."